Digital is Forever – How to Maintain Your Personal Brand

The world is now full of fast and easy ways to communicate digitally. Many people do not understand the consequences of posting information on the internet for the world to see. Not only can we impact our own lives, but these actions can have repercussions on our friends, family, coworkers, and employer. However, social media can be used to improve your personal brand and improve your chances at receiving a job offer. To an employer, you are what you tweet, post, and blog.  Make sure your internet communications represent how you want to brand yourself.

Many college students don’t think about how their internet activity could affect their ability to find a job after they graduate. More employers are starting to look at candidates’ Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Unfortunately, we do not have complete control over our online presence. Don’t just be mindful of how your posts impact yourself; your online activities could be potentially harmful towards your friends, family or coworkers. You do not want to be the reason for their embarrassment or unemployment. If you’re in doubt, don’t post it.

However, if used properly, social media can boost your chances at attaining your dream job. Social media is a great place to learn about a company and interact with potential coworkers. Many companies have Facebook pages, twitter accounts and linked in groups. These are great resources for researching companies and formulating insightful questions to ask during your interview. Programs like IMLP also use these resources to screen and look for potential new hires. Interviewers use the site to interact with candidates, knowing who you are before info sessions or interviews can give you a big leg up on other interviewees! Make sure to check out all of the IMLP media sites!

Twitter is one of the best social media sites that can be used to improve your chances at being offered a job.  Posting about current industry news or relevant course work can strengthen your personal brand. Retweeting posts made from industry leaders or companies shows that you’re interested in the industry and knowledgeable about your profession. Twitter can also be used to interact with recruiters and gain knowledge about current hot topics in companies you’re applying to.

It’s important to distinguish what information is appropriate to post and what can be damaging to your personal brand. Even emails or instant messages could cause problems for your career. An email with inappropriate content could end up in the wrong hands or posted on the web. Be mindful of using reply all or forward, once you push the send button, you can never get it back.

Next time you consider making a comment about a controversial topic, posting an inappropriate picture, or tweeting about a fun night out on the town make sure you consider the repercussions. Remember, digital is forever.